Help - Baby Leopard Tortoise Died - Need Advice & Breeder References

[Tom]

Would those stress the torts?

No. That is an old myth. Glass tanks are fine for tortoises. And see through doors are fine.

 

[firewire]

Because it's sliding or because it's a see through barrier?

Tom answered as I was typing it appears.

Thank you!

 

[Jennifer Nicole]

No. That is an old myth. Glass tanks are fine for tortoises. And see through doors are fine.

So you can use glass enclosures for tortoises? I have a glass enclosure but because of a lot of people telling me its bad for them to see out I placed a "Boarder" around the edge so she cannot see out.

Tom you should do a myth and fact post lol.

 

[Tom]

So you can use glass enclosures for tortoises? I have a glass enclosure but because of a lot of people telling me its bad for them to see out I placed a "Boarder" around the edge so she cannot see out.

Tom you should do a myth and fact post lol.

There is no harm in using a visual barrier, its just that I and many others here have been using glass for decades with no problem. I have seen what people are talking about, and its common with an adult russian in a new 40 gallon tank, but no adult russian should be housed that way to begin with. I've also seen it in some lizards like Chinese water dragons. Those should not be housed in glass, as they will always damage their snout.

 

[Kaliman1962]

I bought these cages from big mountain pet supply, these are 3 tanks that connect, you can keep adding on to make it as big as you want

 

[Jennifer Nicole]

There is no harm in using a visual barrier, its just that I and many others here have been using glass for decades with no problem. I have seen what people are talking about, and its common with an adult russian in a new 40 gallon tank, but no adult russian should be housed that way to begin with. I've also seen it in some lizards like Chinese water dragons. Those should not be housed in glass, as they will always damage their snout.

Oh ok. Do Russians move around a lot and that's why? Now I am just curious.

 

[Jennifer Nicole]

I bought these cages from big mountain pet supply, these are 3 tanks that connect, you can keep adding on to make it as big as you wantView attachment 194886

That is a great idea!

 

[Neal]

Hello, I am new to the forum (joined today) and I am writing to ask for advice. I just found my baby Leopard Tortoise dead in her indoor habitat. I do not know why L – I had her little over one month. She had her vet check-up about three weeks ago and got a full clean bill of health. She had gained weigh - almost 1g since then.

I bought my baby Leopard Tortoise from the “Turtle Store” online (for around $150.00) and received it on October 20th. I calculated that she was around two months old. I had been feeding her every day a combination of turnip greens and a variety of kales. She always had a shallow clean water dish and I gave her a warm soak also every day. The enclosure had a 100W PowerSun Mercury Vapor UVB Lamp, a 100W heat emitter, and an ExoTerra 100W Red Infrared light bulb. The 100W PowerSun Mercury Vapor UVB Lamp was only kept on during the day (roughly 12 -14 hours). The other two remained on. The enclosure is kept in the 90s up to about 103F at times on the hottest part and 70s in the cooler area. The main substrate is ZooMed Premium Repti Bark (basically bark of fir trees). On the hot area I have a layer of wet moss for humidity, an area with Timothy Grass, and an area of dry moss in the cooler side. She had several hiding places – one of them enclosed with a small opening so that she could get in and out. The size of the tortoise enclosure is 42” x 20” x 8” high.

My questions are:

1. Could it had been the “fir bark” substrate?
   
   
2. I want to buy another baby Leopard Tortoise – Who should I buy it from? Any suggestions please help?

Thank you,

Frank

Did you ever end up purchasing another leopard?

 

[Gillian M]

So you can use glass enclosures for tortoises? I have a glass enclosure but because of a lot of people telling me its bad for them to see out I placed a "Boarder" around the edge so she cannot see out.

Tom you should do a myth and fact post lol.

I was told the same thing by members at TFO.

And some members tell a beginner to do one thing, after which they change their minds. Don't know why.

 

[Gillian M]

Am so sorry that your tort died, @Frank C. Please accept my sincere condolences.

And welcome to the forum.

 

[Tom]

Oh ok. Do Russians move around a lot and that's why? Now I am just curious.

Russian are a very active species, yes, but the issue is that it is much too large of a tortoise being kept in an area that is much too small. I recommend no less than 4x8' for an adult russian or similarly sized tortoise of any other species. Many people in the reptile hobby are used to keeping large snakes in relatively small enclosures, like a 4' ball python in a 40 gallon tank. In most cases this works out fine, but not for tortoises. They need a lot of room to roam in their enclosures.

If a person were to keep the same wild caught adult russian from Petco or Petsmart in a 3'x1.5' table wild solid sides, they would likely get the same restless and trying to escape behavior as the person with clear glass sides. The issue is the size of the area, not the wall material for indoor housing on a baby.

Outside for larger tortoises becomes a different story. When an outdoor housed tortoise can see through the barrier that contains them, they often rub on the "fence" incessantly and injure themselves.

 

[Jennifer Nicole]

Russian are a very active species, yes, but the issue is that it is much too large of a tortoise being kept in an area that is much too small. I recommend no less than 4x8' for an adult russian or similarly sized tortoise of any other species. Many people in the reptile hobby are used to keeping large snakes in relatively small enclosures, like a 4' ball python in a 40 gallon tank. In most cases this works out fine, but not for tortoises. They need a lot of room to roam in their enclosures.

If a person were to keep the same wild caught adult russian from Petco or Petsmart in a 3'x1.5' table wild solid sides, they would likely get the same restless and trying to escape behavior as the person with clear glass sides. The issue is the size of the area, not the wall material for indoor housing on a baby.

Outside for larger tortoises becomes a different story. When an outdoor housed tortoise can see through the barrier that contains them, they often rub on the "fence" incessantly and injure themselves.

Oh ok, thank you for the info. We just got a baby leo... We decided on that one because I read that they do not burrow and escape. I can see how torts can have different qualities like dogs do (with different breeds).

I think that any tort... any size should be outside (once size appropriate of course. I wouldn't let Max out... she is too tiny at the moment... although in the spring I plan to build her a little exercise pen for when we are outside) at least during the warm months. I mean how would we like it if we were made to stay inside a bedroom all day every day.

 

[Jennifer Nicole]

Hello, I am new to the forum (joined today) and I am writing to ask for advice. I just found my baby Leopard Tortoise dead in her indoor habitat. I do not know why L – I had her little over one month. She had her vet check-up about three weeks ago and got a full clean bill of health. She had gained weigh - almost 1g since then.

I bought my baby Leopard Tortoise from the “Turtle Store” online (for around $150.00) and received it on October 20th. I calculated that she was around two months old. I had been feeding her every day a combination of turnip greens and a variety of kales. She always had a shallow clean water dish and I gave her a warm soak also every day. The enclosure had a 100W PowerSun Mercury Vapor UVB Lamp, a 100W heat emitter, and an ExoTerra 100W Red Infrared light bulb. The 100W PowerSun Mercury Vapor UVB Lamp was only kept on during the day (roughly 12 -14 hours). The other two remained on. The enclosure is kept in the 90s up to about 103F at times on the hottest part and 70s in the cooler area. The main substrate is ZooMed Premium Repti Bark (basically bark of fir trees). On the hot area I have a layer of wet moss for humidity, an area with Timothy Grass, and an area of dry moss in the cooler side. She had several hiding places – one of them enclosed with a small opening so that she could get in and out. The size of the tortoise enclosure is 42” x 20” x 8” high.

My questions are:

1. Could it had been the “fir bark” substrate?
   
   
2. I want to buy another baby Leopard Tortoise – Who should I buy it from? Any suggestions please help?

Thank you,

Frank

If you are looking for a breeder- I just got my son's leo baby at TortoiseYard. Vicky is amazing and answered all my questions and was very helpful. Max arrived safe and healthy. She ate right after I soaked her and after a week she is starting to get use to me being around her. She seems healthy and happy.

 

[AJT]

I'm new here just joined minutes ago. I just received my leopard tortoises from the turtle store as well. I really hope I don't run into any problems with them, my kids would be devastated! I got them as a Christmas gift(also to fulfill a promise their dad made before he passed away). I will follow Tom's advice and I'm sorry for your loss Frank C.

 

[Jennifer Nicole]

I'm new here just joined minutes ago. I just received my leopard tortoises from the turtle store as well. I really hope I don't run into any problems with them, my kids would be devastated! I got them as a Christmas gift(also to fulfill a promise their dad made before he passed away). I will follow Tom's advice and I'm sorry for your loss Frank C.

Welcome! That is sweet that you got them to honor their father's request. New pets can be stressful (you don't want anything to happen to them or do anything wrong... they are like children without human thumbs lol)... I am in the same boat you are. lol.

 

[Jennifer Nicole]

I was told the same thing by members at TFO.

And some members tell a beginner to do one thing, after which they change their minds. Don't know why.

I have gotten so much conflicted information it makes my head spin lol.

 

[JoesMum]

I have gotten so much conflicted information it makes my head spin lol.

Hello and welcome

There is an awful lot of outdated advice on the internet and from pet stores. Sadly some breeders and vets get it wrong too.

If you haven't already, please read the following guides written by species experts which give the most up to date and accurate guides to raising a healthy Leo.

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

How to raise a healthy Leopard Tortoise
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

Your Leos shouldn't be kept together. They don't do well as pairs. They are solitary animals and prefer their own company.

 

[Yvonne G]

Let's all keep in mind that this is Frank C's thread.

 

[Shaif]

Please know there have been a few of us on the forum who received sick babies from turtlestore.com

I recently sent them printed copies of the care sheets from this forum. I don't want to hurt anyone's business or means of income, but I feel we should try to educate people as much as possible.

I agree that your setup wasn't perfect, but few are--especially in the beginning. IMHO, there is a very high likelihood that your baby was stressed/dry to begin with.

I don't know if it will make a difference, but if you send your story with a copy of Tom's care sheets, to the store in Florida, they may get the message. We can only try.

And for the person who posted that you also bought from the same store--I'm hoping your babies are just fine-- MOST of them are! Best wishes!

 

[Diamond]

Not sure if any of you have seen the new zoo med tortoise enclosure. I saw one at a reptile show in Nov and ordered one through a local pet store. It is glass, has removable screens on the top of it. it is 4'x2' and 10 inches tall. I put a forest mural back round on 3 sides of it. It is working great for my Russian hatchling. She has a lot of room to roam, It is harder to keep the humidity up but I keep a plastic shelf liner over the top and seems to be working ok.